If you are planning to have children in Japan, your first step is to find a doctor near your home. If you prefer, you can ask the municipality where you are registered for help, and the health department will refer you to an obstetrician-gynecologist (sanfujinka, 産婦人科医).
It is recommended that pregnant women have a doctor who will accompany the pregnancy, a hospital where the birth will happen.
When you have your pregnancy confirmed, go to the obstetrics department at the hospital and get your Pregnancy Notification. Then, go to your local municipality and submit the notification. The Health Department of your municipality will give you a Mother and Child Health Handbook and a servant from the municipality will fill out a form based on an interview that will be conducted with you.
Take the opportunity to clear up your doubts about your health.
Most municipalities offer a series of activities, courses, and benefits for pregnant women and their spouses that vary from municipality to municipality.
Mother and Child Health Handbook
The Health Handbook is an extremely important document. It is the pregnant woman’s and child’s health record. It records all activities, vaccinations, treatments, consultations, medications, and the development of the fetus and child.
Always take your Mother’s and Child’s Health Handbook with you when you go for medical examinations, consultations at medical institutions, preventive vaccinations, and receive health advice. Fill it out when necessary.
In Japan it is common for families to keep this booklet with great care for many years, because it is the child’s life history, and they give it to their children when they get married.
Source: Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare